After my recent post about Zanzarah, I got to wondering what's going to happen in the future about game categories <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/woozy.gif" />

Some of the newer games out have really been "Adventures with RPG elements". Designed, I suppose, in the hope of attracting a wider sales market

I realise that in the shops it doesn't make a scrap of difference as they invariably have all kinds of categories mixed up on their "sometimes labelled" shelves <img border="0" alt="[winky]" title="" src="graemlins/winky.gif" /> but for discussion and review purposes I was wondering whether a new "hybrid" category might come into being ??

Wouldn't it be great if when loading up one of these "hybrid" games, you could have the options of having "action/shooter" elements or not having them. You know, like the way you can choose to have subtitles or not. In that way it could still reach a wider market. Is that even feasible???Inferno

I don't pay any attention to the labeling of games (and especially books) - invariably a game (or book) is not "pure" - i.e., it isn't just an adventure game, or just a strategy game, or just a rpg - it's a combination of 2 or more. I just read the blips, look at the screenshots/pictures, & decide yes or no.

Besides, what one person calls adventure another calls action another calls strategy etc.

Besides, you can get some very good hybrid games... like DragonRiders, which has some minor RPG character development (you can't go certain places or do certain things until you have achieved some level in strength, knowledge, or reputation), but there is plenty of adventure about the game.

Most games, would take alot to have the options of action/shooter in them. ICB, says its adventure but to me it was perfect, talk to people ge this, disable that search here, very fun, wont find too many games like that any more.

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The best part of playing a game is for it to never end. A long game is a good game!

I get bored with just RPG, if its got some adventure elements then i tend to get into the game alot better.. Like Morrowind for example i like exploring mines and dungeons that kinda gives the sense of adventure.. but not the "pure adventure" with puzzles and stuff

nfernoj13usa's idea is one that I've always favoured but I suppose it would just be too expensive to build in an "action/no action mode ??[Not being a "techie type" I can't be sure but finance IS usually a major decider in just about every aspect of everything ]

Probably the nearest I've been to that was Indy and the Fate of Atlantis where you could choose from three different modes.Of course, most of us would have a go at all three modes anyway, just to see if we could do 'em

And I have played something else that offered "more towards adventure" or "more towards action" settings but I can't think what it was. However, I'm sure someone else out there has better recall than me and will be able to identify it immediately <img border="0" alt="[winky]" title="" src="graemlins/winky.gif" /> !!

Yes, gremlinuk, Dragon Riders is just the type of game I had in mind when I posted this topic. And, although I couldn't get it to run, I think Ananchronox is another. There are quite a few knocking about and more, I'm certain, in the pipeline.

I suppose a major category could be called "Hybrids" and that category itself could be subdivided according to what elements a game might contain ....................

Action/Adventure. Adventure/RPG. ETC.

On the other hand, apart from "picky" people like myself, maybe nobody is really that bothered anyway

salim, Have you ever played a REAL RPG such as Baldur's gate for example. Diablo series barely qualifies as an RPG. It is very action oriented.

fildil, I have never played an RPG on the PC that has no action and I have been playing them for 10 years. In many RPG's the combat is pretty easy especially if you play one that has turn based combat where you get plenty of time to control each character. Reflexes are not needed at all for turn based RPG's.

So the butler left for an indefinite stay at the inn. And we had another problem; we were almost out of gold. Now, unscrupulous adventurers have been known to hunt down various creatures, savagely attack and slaughter them, and steal their treasure. No wonder those creatures react so negativly when they see adventurers aproaching! It's time to break the cycle of violence. We would earn our gold only by honorable means -- like gambling.

Jenny: The only way you could even try to do something like that post is after you already know the game inside out. Some MM nuts will do anytihng to make the game a challenge. This is one way, another way is to have a party with one person or to finish the game in one months game time. There is no way a person playing the game for the first time would be able to accomplish this. The MM series is known to be a very combat oriented series.

I think to distinguish between different genres is important when it comes to adventure gaming. Adventure games are unique in that the challenge is overwhelmingly one of mental exercise. When reflex sequences are added, it alienates and frustrates a lot of gamers (as we can see from the reaction to Simon 3D). Hybrid labels (action/adventure rpg/adventure) let me know what type of challenge I'm going to get from the game.

-----If you don't like the RPGs you've played, but have never tried a Baldur's Gate/Planescape Torment type RPG, then I strongly recommend you try one out. The gameplay is quite different from Diablo-style RPGs, and I'm sure they must be pretty cheap to buy by now. And if you really believe a long game is a good game, get Baldur's Gate 2!

Two points... it just occured to me that the Tomb Raider games fit into this hybrid category... plenty of adventure and puzzles, but also quite a bit of shooting. Actually, it would be quite a challenge to try and play Tomb Raider (any version) without shooting anything apart from puzzle completing ones (like the dragons at the end of Rome in TRChronicles).

Secondly, I have a copy of Baldor's Gate on DVD (inc. patches and manual) I'd be quite willing to trade.

hrmn... some games are able to integrate 2 genres flawlessly.... and especially adventure/RPG, some have this "difficulty" setting or some other options which essentially is asking "do you want to play this game in adventure mode or RPG mode?"... which typically means easier/harder fights, or more/less combats, or how often puzzles are encountered... I recall this game (but can't remember the title) that if you had it to RPG mode then it'll keep track of experience points and levels and skills etc, but in adventure mode you don't have to worry about all of that...

the problem with these games however is they tend to be rather short or linear and superficial, but the concept is there...

Yes. I've played very few adventure/blah hybrids, but in those few the adventure aspect of the games was dampened down considerably. The puzzles were in a much more simplistic form than the real brain-grinders found in good adventure games. I've always assumed this was a natural consequence of trying to appeal to a cross genre audience. However, my experience of adv/blah hybrids is very limited, so I'm wondering if there are hybrid games out there that do include equally good puzzles as in pure adventure games. What do you think?

Fildil, I don't know of any either, but the aforementioned Dragonriders of Pern would be one of the closest to that - you actually kill very little, and if you utilize sneak and running probably next to nothing. I, however, was not a good sneak, so had to be better at the sword.

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"How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on."- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

fildil, what is your definition of "kill"? If it is the fighting element you dislike, fair enough; that aspect can be hard to get into (or was for me). If it is the moral aspect of "killing" that upsets you, I have great news. All the RPGs I have played do not "kill" anyone who has been defeated in battle, they are knocked out. That means you can fight the same character later on in the game when they have developed different abilities, or they gradually come over to your way of thinking and join your side.

Jude, I guess I should have made myself clearer. When I say "kill" I really mean fighting someone or something off. My reflexes seem to be non-existent and I always wind up dead or knocked out. I played Harry Potter with my grandson and found out that I couldn't fly a broomstick, leap or evade things that were trying to get me. I really wanted to play an RPG but I guess their not for me.

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Fil

There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. Oscar Levant

Reflexes not required! Just pause the game when you see enemies and take as long as you want to tell your characters what to do, then unpause again. You can pause whenever you want, for as long as you want.

Thanks everybody, I didn't realize that I could pause the game so that I can plan my moves. I'm going to give it a try. I have a feeling with all my pausing that I will be at the game for quite a while.

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Fil

There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. Oscar Levant

nod - I too like turn-based games... which is why I really dislike under a killing moon and pandora's directive (or whatever was the sequel) - there were far too many timed puzzles for my liking. The occasional one or 2 is ok, but there's too many in those 2 games.

Return to Krondor I suppose is trying to simulate the adventure/RPG nature of its prequel - Betrayal at Krondor. In BaK, you can do all sorts of sub-quests solve mysteries, explore dungeons etc and the world is HUGE... RtK however is VERY linearas I mentioned above...